The Tamesis
When young Daniella Kallmeyer enrolled in a summer dance intensive at New York’s Martha Graham School, little did she know that a few years later she would transform her costume designs into costumes for the same stage. Last night, at the Martha Graham Dance Company’s 100th anniversary celebration, dancers Xin Ying and Lloyd Knight performed a special excerpt wearing two custom Kallmeyer pieces. Oh, who do you long for to sing At the New York Public Library.
Ying’s flowing burgundy dress is a dancing version of the Roman gown from Kallmeyers’ Pre-Fall 2026 collection. The original design had built-in support and a flowing one-shoulder drape, so Kallmeyer could easily transform the bodice into a corset while retaining a sense of movement. Turns out, this dress transformation was another full-circle moment.
“The irony of this piece is that before I found this project, I had actually been designing our pre-fall collection with Martha Graham in mind,” says Karl Meyer. “She was known for dancing in these beautiful dresses made from lots of fabric and incorporating the costumes into the choreography. I often think about the way the body moves in my clothes, and a lot of the proportions that inspire me come from that world.”
